The Skincare Lineup

The Skincare Lineup

Tuesday, April 8, 2014

A few months ago I was browsing through my Bloglovin' feed as one does, and I came across a rather interesting post by the lovely Lily Pebbles about her skincare regime. Let's face it, we can all be a bit lazy when it comes to our skincare routine (especially at 6.30am - whether you're crawling out of bed or just getting in!) so Lily came up with the brilliant idea of writing up exactly what she has to do, and sticking it up in her bathroom so that she feels obliged to follow it. A first, I must admit that I was a tad skeptical, I mean, was a bit of paper really going to change my lazy ways? The answer is yes, it really does. There's something about a piece of paper staring you down - you simply feel guilty if you don't do what it commands - and the little reminders/comments that Lily added to each step really help to keep you on track. Now, I tweaked the original version a tad to meet my skincare needs, so here's my version, but if you want to download the original - here's Lily's post. 

MORNING:

Cleanse:
In the morning I tend to go for a lighter cleanser as my skin only really needs a quick refresh, and for this I like to use a bit of trusty Bioderma. This just helps to remove any dirt/grime that might have built up on your skin whilst you slept, or remove that mascara smudge that somehow escaped the night before.This keeps my face feeling fresh and ready for the day.

Spray Hydrate: 

There's nothing more refreshing than a hydrating mist first thing in the morning, and my spray of choice at the moment is the Eau Thermale by Avéne. This really helps to wake me up and provides my (occasionally) tight skin with that extra bit of hydration that it so desires. I don't know if this is the most beneficial for my skin - perhaps something like the Caudalie Beauty Elixir would be better suited - but I'm enjoying this at the moment.

Serum:

Serum is never something I thought of using in the morning - I've always considered it to be a step that only exists in my evening routine - but apparently I was wrong! My serum of choice at the moment is a recent purchase - the Avéne Soothing Hydrating Serum. I've seen a lot of blog posts about this lately, and thought it would be perfect for my skin, so I decided to give it a go. It's still early days, but it's going well so far!

Moisturiser:
Yes I know, I'm not blind, I am fully aware that my morning moisturiser of choice is in fact a night cream. However, this Vitamin E Moisturiser from Boots is just right for daytime for my skin (and not rich enough for nighttime), so it's been working well for me. I also love the Vitamin E cream from The Body Shop, but I need to get a new one after I've finished off the Boots offering.

EVENING

Eye Makeup Remover:

This step is easy peasy. I have yet to find an eye makeup remover that I like more than this Camomile Waterproof Eye and Lip Makeup Remover from The Body Shop. It's very gentle, not at all greasy, and just gets the job done. Bam! And the dirt is gone (get the reference?).

Cleanse:

Again, I like to start off with Bioderma to get the majority of my face makeup off before properly cleansing it. I feel like if I go straight to a heavier cleanser, I just end up pushing foundation around my face rather than deep cleansing my skin. So, once I've removed the superficial layer of grime (yuck!), I can move onto a creamier cleanser to really give my skin the once-over. For this, I've been loving the Vitamin E Cream Cleanser from The Body Shop, as it's quick, easy, effective and also hydrating - something that my bone dry mug benefits from. 

Acid Tone:

As you might be able to see from my list, this is a step that I only tend to do twice a week. Having dry skin means that keeping it exfoliated is a must, and the Clarins Gentle Exfoliating Toner really helps to keep flakiness at bay. I've only just posted a review on this, so you can check that out here, but it has definitely become a vital step in my skincare regime.

Spray Hydrate:

This doesn't really need another explanation. Hydration to the max is the only way for me!

Treatment:

This step is almost as important as cleansing, as it's going to not only clear up any problems your skin is facing, but also help to prevent more popping up in the future. My treatment of choice honestly depends on the day - if I need an extra boost of hydration I'll reach for my Origins Drink it Up Intensive Mask, but if I need to show some pesky spots who's boss, I'm likely to reach for my Origins Clear Improvements Mask or the La Roche-Posay Effaclar Duo (+). I usually use a mask about two times a week, and other treatments daily.

Oil:

At night our skin repairs itself, ready for another day of exposure to the elements. As my skin is primarily dry, an oil is a must for me, as it absorbs amazingly whilst I sleep, leaving me with silky smooth skin come morning time. I love The Body Shop's Vitamin E Serum in Oil (see a trend occurring here...?) as it's a serum and a face oil all in one - the perfect multitasking product for happy skin. 

Moisturiser:

Another no brainer. At night I need a slightly heavier cream to quench my skins thirst, and recently I've been enjoying the Origins Night-a-Mins Night Cream as it's super heaving and nourishing, and my skin seems to be very happy about that.

So that's it! As you can tell, I'm a huge fan of both Origins and The Body Shop's Vitamin E range. What's your skincare regime like? Do you use a ridiculous amount of products like I do? Let me know in the comments section!

Did you know that I'm running a Giveaway? Enter here! 

YOUTUBE / TWITTER / INSTAGRAM / FACEBOOK